During a recent earnings call, Xiaopeng informed analysts that incorporating features like fake muscles and “bionic skin” into Iron made individuals feel more comfortable touching and even hugging the robot. Chinese EV startup Xpeng is positioning its humanoid robot, Iron, as a direct competitor to Tesla’s Optimus. The company is emphasising traits that promote physical interaction, such as hugging humans, as it plans to take on the Optimus humanoid robot being developed by the Elon Musk–led EV maker. Xpeng CEO He Xiaopeng recently unveiled the latest version of Iron, stating the company’s goal is for its bipedal bots to be “highly human-like. This emphasis on tactile and emotional comfort represents a key strategy for Xpeng to gain an edge in the rapidly evolving humanoid robot market.
How Xpeng’s Iron robot will be different from Tesla’s Optimus
Founded in 2014, Xpeng has grown into a prominent startup competing with Tesla in China’s EV market. Xpeng executives also said that the company will introduce seven new vehicles next year, including three robotaxi models, and expects to begin mass production of its $280,000 flying car by 2026. The Guangzhou-based company has broken sales records this year and is approaching profitability.